Source: Daily Graphic Ghana - The Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion, in collaboration with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has intensified fumigation and disinfestation exercises in areas in Accra that got flooded a couple of weeks ago.

The Head of the Vector Control Programme of Zoomlion, Mr Abel Djangmah, and the Metro Public Health Director of the AMA, Dr Simpson Boateng, led the fumigation and disinfestation exercise at Odawna in the Osu Klottey Submetropolitan area.

Mr Djangmah said the company had deployed about 200 spraying gangs from Accra, Tema and other regions for the exercise. He said all the affected areas in the metropolis would be disinfested to get rid of vermin.

According to Mr Djangmah, it had become imperative to fumigate and also disinfest the areas because of the likelihood of the spread of diseases through vectors that were carried along with the flood waters.

These include, “Dead bodies, dead animals, rubbish, faecal matter and all kinds of debris that pose a threat to public health,” he said. He commended environmental health officers from the various submetros of the AMA and opinion leaders in the communities for teaming up with the spraying gangs. He further expressed gratitude to the Public Health Department of the assembly for deploying its van round the communities to educate people on environmental cleanliness.

“In addition to the work being done by the metro public health department of the AMA, a team from Zoomlion will go from house to house to educate the communities on ways to protect themselves against cholera,” he said.

He urged the communities to contact the vector control unit of Zoomlion or the public health department of the AMA for support if they have problems with disease transmitting agents.

Moreover, he charged residents in the aforementioned areas to endeavour to stop defecating in the open and throwing refuse in unapproved places since such behaviour attracted houseflies and bluebottle flies which were key transmitters of the bacteria that caused cholera.

“Failure to adhere to good sanitation could have dire consequences, especially on one’s health,” he said.